Phantom Gourmet: Quahog Republic In Onset
ONSET - The vibe is Key West; the location is Cape Cod. You're officially entering The Quahog Republic. With three locations in Massachusetts including one in Onset Village, The Quahog Republic is an easy going restaurant serving some of the region's freshest seafood. Tom Hughes and Erik Bevans are the laidback owners of this casual beach style spot. The overall attitude is most definitely reflected in their style.
"Got to wear the shades, man," Erik said. "Even the hostesses wear the sunglasses when you're here. We want to set the tone right away. We always got fun music playing. We've got cocktails flowing, everything you could want out of a beach bar."
"It's the summer time. It's when you're just supposed to kick back and not worry about anything, and that's what we offer here at the Quahog Republic," added Tom.
Besides the stunning view of Onset Bay, they also offer a menu lined with your New England summertime favorites, including a lobster roll so big, it's called the Monsta Lobster Roll.
"We have giant chunks of tail and claw. We clean the lobster meat; we don't take a knife to it. We gently toss it with just a teeny bit of Hellmann's mayonnaise, put it in a butter-toasted brioche bun and it is off the hook. We do ten ounces of lobster meat. I mean you could split that and still be full," Erik said. "I tell you what, it is the best one on Cape Cod and the surrounding areas, by far.''
The Quahog Republic also happens to have some of the tastiest cod you'll find on the Cape.
"Ours is a crunchy cod fish sandwich with corn flakes and almonds that give it that unique flavor and texture," described Tom.
This fantastic fish can be found in a sandwich, or on the classic fish and chips combo.
"You will have this and you will be blown away," Erik promised. "It's got that great crunch. It's got beautiful white cod. Man, it's off the hook."
Since this is The Quahog Republic, you'll find plenty of cravable clams on the menu, starting off with the thick and creamy quahog chowder that's made fresh every day.
"We're old school, man. We still make our chowder the old fashioned way. We've got quahogs from local vendors. We grind everything up. We make a great roux. We make an amazing base. It's loaded with flavor," explained Erik.
Just as life-changing is their signature stuffed quahogs. You can get them served on their own as an appetizer, or alongside a hot dog for what they call the The Poor Man's Surf and Turf.
"Poor man's surf and turf is our amazing stuffed Quahog, beautifully cooked. It's got that nice, crunchy outer layer and then we serve it with a quarter pound hot dog. It's an all-beef hot dog, butter-toasted brioche bun," Erik described. "You're happy as can be. Go sleep on the beach. Go sleep wherever you need to. You're going to need a nap after this meal."
If seafood isn't your thing, Quahog Republic still has plenty to offer, like big burgers topped with crispy bacon; truffled parmesan fries; addictive wings served in a variety of sauces; and a heck of a Cuban sandwich.
"This Cubano is made with fresh baked crunchy bread. We take our own house-pulled pork, honey baked ham, a little house made chipotle aioli, and then the kicker for this is - we take a little whole grain mustard and butter and we rub down the bread," said Erik.
If you're looking for something to wash it all down, nothing beats a Bloody Mary, made with a vodka that's infused in-house and displayed on the bar.
"It's delicious vodka that's been infused with sundried tomatoes, roasted poblano peppers and lots and lots and lots of garlic. It mixes perfectly with our Bloody Mary mix. That along with some Applewood smoked bacon and some big jumbo olives to kind of give you that extra saltiness to top it all off, you're in heaven," Erik described.
Whether you go for the view, the food, or the attitude, you'll want to just soak it all in when you're at The Quahog Republic.
"Nothing better to kick back with your family, listen to some tunes," Erik said. "All those things you think about when you're behind your desk working all winter long, and you're trying to hold onto a memory of something just to get you through another snow storm. Hopefully, we can be that memory for you."
You can find The Quahog Republic at 197 Onset Avenue in Onset, with additional locations in New Bedford and Falmouth, and online at quahogrepublic.com.
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